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Walk to stomp out hunger

JANESVILLE — You’ve been waiting for months for walking weather.

So slip into your walking shoes and get outside and breathe some fresh air while walking for a cause Sunday, April 27, when four local communities—Janesville, Brodhead, Milton and Whitewater—will host their annual CROP Hunger Walks.

Money raised will benefit Church World Service and local hunger-fighting organizations.

Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty Walks are interfaith events that raise funds to help people in need in Wisconsin and worldwide. Church World Service gives 25 percent of the total money raised to locally designated organizations and uses the remaining 75 percent—minus a low administrative cost—for humanitarian efforts worldwide.

-- Janesville’s CROP Hunger Walk is the third largest walk in Wisconsin and raised more than $43,000 last year.

During this year’s 31st annual walk, participants can choose walks of 2, 5 or 10 kilometers. The walk starts and ends at Cargill United Methodist Church, 2000 Wesley Ave. Registration starts at 1 p.m. with the walk at 1:30 p.m.

Funds raised will benefit ECHO, a local nonprofit, faith community-sponsored charity organization that serves low-income people in the Janesville area.

For more information, call ECHO, (608) 754-5333; Barbara Cisler, walk coordinator, (608) 754-2093; or the Rev. Steve Ekblad, walk chaplain, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, (608) 754-0067.

-- Walkers in the annual Brodhead CROP Hunger Walk can choose to walk 1 kilometer or 5 kilometers. The walk starts and ends at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 405 East 9th Ave. Registration starts at 1 p.m. with the walk at 1:30 p.m.

The White Gift Food Pantry will be the local recipient of the funds.

For more information, call the Rev. Tiffany Bates, Congregational United Church of Christ, (608) 897-2917 or the Rev. Sandi Olson-Decker, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, (608) 897-2341.

-- Milton will host its 20th CROP Hunger Walk for which participants can choose to walk up to 5 miles. The walk starts and ends at the Milton Community Action Center, 36 Hilltop Drive. Registration starts at 12:15 p.m. and the walk at 1 p.m.

An abbreviated walk, with the same registration and start times, will be April 20 at the Milton Community Action Center for those unable to participate April 27.

Funds raised benefit the Milton Community Action/Food Pantry.

For more information, call Carol Hulburt, (608) 868-6105.

-- The annual Whitewater CROP Hunger Walk offers walkers 1- and 3-mile routes. The walk starts and ends at First English Lutheran Church, 401 W. Main St. Registration starts at noon with the walk at 1 p.m.

Funds raised will benefit the Whitewater Food Pantry and The Gathering community meal at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

For more information, call the Rev. Christine Stack, Congregational United Church of Christ, (262) 473-4101; Mariann Scott, (262) 473-4219 or the Rev. Will Houts, North Lima Presbyterian Church, (262) 949-1830.

By walking on this day, each community will raise additional funds through a matching grant to hunger-fighting organizations offered by the Alan Shawn Feinstein Foundation.

Walkers also can help their local food pantries by donating nonperishable food items the day of the walk.